Tie down devices and/or methods in general are commonly known and have been traditionally used for securing cargo onto the top surface of flatbed trailers. Known systems often employ one or more winches attached to a side of the trailer. A tie down line is attached at a first end to the winch so as to be selectively wound and unwound therefrom. The leading end of the line opposite the first end is generally free to be extended from or retracted toward the winch and typically has a hook or the like arranged thereon. In operation, the leading end of the line is usually extended from the winch simply over (see, e.g., FIG. 1) or alternately wrapped entirely around (see, e.g., FIG. 2) a load situated on the trailer. The free end of the line is then anchored to the side of the trailer opposite the winch (e.g., using the hook) and the winch is then employed to retract and/or otherwise apply tension on the line thereby tightening the same and securing the cargo. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,918, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a similar type system.
Another system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,665, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, utilizes a series of strap pairs specifically for securing an automobile to a trailer by its tires. A first elongated strap of the pair is attached to one side of the trailer. A second shorter strap of the pair having two loops at opposing ends is then placed at the outside of the vehicle tire. The first strap is then threaded through the first loop of the second strap, around the back of the tire, through the second loop of the second strap, then secured to the same side of the trailer.
While at times acceptable in certain situations and/or for some applications, the previously developed systems and/or techniques remain limited in various aspects. Often, problems are presented when the load to be secured is of irregular shape or size. Load securement is further complicated when the load includes a plurality of separate items that are stacked upon one another or otherwise arranged to be secured collectively by tie down lines. In such situations, various drawbacks may accompany the previously developed techniques, for example, due to friction, line binding or pinching, etc., when the line is tensioned from the one winch end. See, for example, FIGS. 1–6. Restrictions on the line's freedom to tension equally can create undesirable forces and/or torques on the load as a whole that may bias it in one direction or another to encourage unwanted shifting; or in the case of a plurality of items, unequal tensioning may result in forces and/or torques being unequally applied to each item, again potentially causing unwanted shifting.
As compared to the simple over the top approach, the wrap around approach better secures the load by providing more radially inward securing pressure around the entire outside of a load. However, the wrap around approach also tends to exhibit more uneven tensioning of the line due to increased friction and/or binding that results from greater surface area contact between the load and the line. This uneven tensioning results in uneven application of radially inward forces on the load which can tend to undesirably result in torque being applied to the load as a whole or one or more individual items of the load (see, e.g., FIGS. 2, 4 and 6). Alternately, while simply placing the line over the load may provide for more even tensioning as compared to the wrapped arrangement wherein the line encircles the load, the line-over approach can leave voids between the line and the load (see, e.g., FIGS. 1, 3A and 5) which can result in a greater potential for lateral movement of the load with respect to the trailer bed, either from side-to-side or in the fore and/or aft directions. For example, when the line-over approach is taken, fore and aft movement may be even more likely with respect to the interior items of a multi-item load (see, e.g., FIGS. 3A and 3B); and in a stacked arrangement, a radial downward force on top items unopposed by a radial inward force on bottom outside items may tend to push the bottom items laterally outward (see, e.g., FIG. 5). Even when the individual items are banded together, the resulting uneven and/or unwanted forces can unduly strain the band.
In short, the previously developed techniques and/or approaches create uneven tension along the lines due to friction, binding or like. Disadvantageously, this can result in certain forces and/or torques being developed that are either unwanted and/or undesirably unopposed, thereby creating an unstable load situation which can contribute to unsafe situations and/or which may add to the time and difficulty of suitably securing loads.
Therefore, the present inventive subject matter contemplates a new and improved cargo cinching device and/or method for using the same to produce a combination of direct and indirect cargo securement which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.